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miyakosekiguchi · 3 years

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Alternative Universe: Miyako becomes a rogue ninja

• In this AU, she lost her sister Tenten in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

• Gaara was not a Kazekage in this. There was still many in the village who would not accept him, even if he’s no longer a Jinchuriki.

• 15 years later, Miyako, Gaara, Shinki and Kankuro battled Urashiki and Deepa along with Boruto.

• Deepa successfully defeated Shinki permanently, leaving Araya and Yodo injured.

• Kankuro sacrificed himself while battling Urashiki’s puppet in a explosion.

• Urashiki battled Gaara until Gaara runs out of chakra, and Urashiki killed him.

• Those that survived is Miyako, Araya and Yodo.

• Miyako was stunned at the sudden loss of her husband, son and her brother-in-law. She grew angry and started to resent the Sand Village for not protecting her beloved husband and her baby boy.

• She grew even more angrier when she found that many people were happy Gaara was gone, so she cursed the village and left, leaving as Araya and Yodo mourns the loss of their friend. Right before she left, she scratched her Suna headband with her kunai and left it in her bedroom.

• After being interrogated by the leader of the new Akatsuki, she was asked what are her intentions.

• Miyako stared at the ground before saying, “I’m going to... destroy the Sand Village.”

• In the time that she was in the Akatsuki, although she’s putting on a intimidating face that’ll send even Jonins running, she’s hurting immensely inside at the pain of being a widow and the loss of her baby. It felt as her heart was bleeding.

• Temari, Shikamaru, and Shikadai rushed over to the village barely in time. They were shocked to see that she now possesses the Rinnegan.

• Miyako used the Almighty Push and caused so much destruction to the village using the Almighty Push, causing many casualties.

• Temari and Shikadai succeeded in protecting the village, while Shikamaru attempted multiple times to place her under his Shadow Possession.

• She grunted as she tried to escape his Shadow Possession. “Le-let me go!”

• “No! I will not let you destroy the Sand!” Shikamaru yelled as he strained to keep her detained.

• Temari rushed back to Shikamaru as Miyako yelled in response, “What’s the point?! It’s already been destroyed!” The blonde kunoichi stared at her widowed sister-in-law in a mixture of shock, anger, sadness, and disappointment.

• “Why? Why would you do this? Gaara wouldn’t have wanted this!” Miyako grew a tick mark on her forehead.

• “Please, Temari. Almost everyone in this damn village hated Gaara because he was a monster, even though he no longer has Shukaku sealed inside of him.”

• “Look, I understand your anger about the Bijuu situation and so am I, but that shouldn’t be the reason to eliminate all of Sunagakure!”

• “Temari-” “No! You listen to me! Gaara went through the same darkness, wanting to destroy everything in his way, but he redeemed himself after Naruto taught him the meaning of life.”

• As Temari continues speaking, remorse began to creeps over her face.

• “Now do you see why what you’re doing is wrong? I know the Sand wouldn’t protect Gaara and Shinki, but not everybody opposes them. You saw how Matsuri accepted him and stopped fearing him? What she sees and you see; Gaara as a human being with feelings. So did me, Shinki, Kankuro, Araya, and Yodo. We can change that. We must convince them that Gaara is a good person.”

• Miyako stared at the ground for a while, her eyes welling up before a single tear slipped from her eye. She looked up back to her sister-in-law. “You’re right. You’re... absolutely right.” After a moment of silent, Shikamaru hesitantly released her from his Shadow Possession and stood up.

• “Temari?” “Yeah?” Miyako paused for a minute before squeezing her eyes shut, clenching her fists, choking out, “My baby... my baby is gone. My husband. Kankuro...” She started to cry, as more tears started pouring down her face, dripping to the ground.

• “I know, sis, I know,” She went in and hugged the grieving woman tightly. “But you must pay your dues.”

• Miyako nodded. “I know.”

• She decided to redeem herself in honor of her late family, with Temari, Shikamaru, and Shikadai forgiving her.

• “Gaara... Shinki... Kankuro...... Tenten...” she thought as she was escorted to the Hozuki Castle, a shinobi prison administrated by the Hidden Village in the Grass. She was sentenced to a lifetime for the defection and destruction of the Sand Village, abandoning her ninja way, and partaking in a dangerous organization which made her an enemy.

• Miyako is now clad in a straightjacket and some belts for extra security. She is covered with a blindfold that reads SEAL.

• She spent the next few months in agony from the many losses throughout her life.

• “Mother... Father... Tenten... Gaara... Shinki... Kankuro...”

• She no longer has her immediate family. Of course she still have her sister-in-law Temari with her husband Shikamaru and her nephew Shikadai. But she only gets to see them once a month.

• She died a few months later of a broken heart.

(example of how Miyako looks in prison)

#gaara x oc #alternate universe #au

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soliavenne · 3 years

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(1/2) Oh I can relate a lot to feeling protective over your 2d crush. My biggest problem is that I just can't 'think away' the canon: so if someone is married or dead in canon I just can't imagine scenarios with them and a reader/OC's because my brain goes "oh but they aren't available". So I can relate to the comment about Matsuri. They definitely tried to hint possible partners with Matsuri or Shijima and when that infamous manga panel came where Shinki refered to Gaara as "our father" -

Omgggg, ◇ anon I agree with you so much!! I relate, HARD.

I feel the same way too, to be honest.. If there's an established canon, I wouldn't be able to invest a 100% bond with reader-insert fanfics or any type of fanfic that ships Gaara with a character that's he's not in a relationship with according to the canon.

...And that's why I really, really love the route that they went with Gaara on Boruto. His bond with Shinki is probably the greatest thing in Boruto now. (I AM BIASED AND I KNOW. SAND VILLAGE SHOULD HAVE HAD THEIR OWN SPIN OFF 😤😤)

A romantic, love story would NOT work with Gaara on canon. (And that's not me just being overprotective 😂😭😂) simply because his character is really, really a complex one; He really isn't just the type to just get married with someone suck bang blow = three children kinda guy. There's something intricate about his character overall and we all know that between you, me and everyone, Naruto and Naruto Shippuden isn't really great with character developments, romantic-plot wise. If they took that chance, they would probably ruin his character in an irreversible way. They simply would just not bother to explore the depth of his character and that would SUCK.

I honestly wish we had more screentime about Gaara, Kankuro and Temari... and basically everyone who is not from Konoha lmao. But then at least the lack of it does provide the ample opportunity for the talented people out here to fill up the void with something that's actually dedicated as fuck to developing the said characters in the way they deserve it.

Thank you so much for this ask, ◇ anon! I definitely connected on you with this one love!

#personal!

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munofsilver · 3 years

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Again late with Gaara week. This will be my last one. Day 6 memories. Thank you @justgaara for hosting this. Hopefully next year I won’t fall far behind and can do all the days.

Summary: Gaara and Shikadia go over a photo album while Gaara talks about each picture. A nice uncle and nephew moment we all need.

A young boy, at the age of five, tugs on the pants leg of the Kazekage. Gaara looks down to see his nephew looking up at him. Young Shikadai is holding a book under his arm. Gaara knows that sometimes Shikadia likes to have someone read him a story; it seems he wants Gaara to do it now. With the day free of meeting, Gaara takes little Shikadia’s hand, and they walk into what Kankuro likes to call the lazy room.

A place where Gaara and Kankuro like to go when they want some time to themselves. There is a table in the center of the room. A desk in the back of the room. A couch with a TV in front of it on the left. The rest of the room has plants and bookcases. The bookcases are full of books, scrolls, and one that only has movies.

Gaara leads Shikadia towards the couch. They both take a seat as Shikadia holds up the book for his Uncle. With a smile, Gaara takes the book, ready to read whatever story for his young nephew. Once he opened the book, it’s not a storybook-like; he thought it was a photo album.

“Mom made this. I want to look at it with you, Uncle Gaara,” Shikadia smiles.

On the first page are three pictures; the first one is of Gaara and his siblings. Gaara can tell this was taken after the Chunin Exams. Maybe before the mission to rescue Sasuke. Gaara is standing between Temari and Kankuro. The two are smiling while Gaara, as usual, arms are crossed with a blank stare that could pass as a glare. Gaara’s siblings have a hand on each of Gaara’s shoulders.

Now he remembers when this picture was taken. The memory makes him smile. That smile got little Shikadia’s attention, so he asked about the picture. Gaara is happy to talk about it.

“This was taken after a mission. Even though we failed to retrieve the target, no one was killed, and I didn’t lose control. This was back when I still had Shukaku inside,” Gaara looks down at Shikadai, “After staying in Konoha for a while, we returned home to Suna. That is when this picture was taken after we returned. It was your Uncle Kankuro’s idea.”

The second picture shows Gaara with someone Shikiadia doesn’t know. She has a nervous smile while Gaara has a blank stare towards the camera.

“That is Matsuri. She was a student of mine. The reason for her smile was because she was taken off guard before the picture was taken. She wanted to retake it, but you know how your mother is.”

Gaara remembers when Matsuri was trying to take the camera from Temari, only to fail when the wind users glided up high on her giant fan.

The third picture shows Gaara with Matsuri and Rock Lee. Of course, Rock Lee is doing his good guy pose. Matsuri is looking at him in confusion. Shikidia knows Rock Lee and knows he still does that pose today, now his son Metal Lee joins him.

“This was taken after another mission. A group of bandits kidnapped Matsuri. Friends from Konoha helped with the rescue. Matsuri didn’t quite understand Lee at first,” Gaara turns the page.

Once again, there are only three pictures on the page. The first one shows Gaara and his siblings again; this time, they are wearing Sand Chunin vests. Baki is standing behind them. They didn’t all become Chunin at the same time.

“This was when I became a chunin.”

“You were a chunin?”

“Did you think I went from genin to Kazekage?”

Shikadia hides his blush of embarrassment. He really did think that since Gaara was so young when he became Kazekage. Gaara was a chunin, but he went from chunin to Junin to Kazekage in one year. Gaara rubs Shikadia’s head like he usually does to praise or comfort the child.

The second picture shows the three siblings again; this time, Gaara is wearing his Kazekage robes. Gaara doesn’t say anything; he knows Shikadia can tell when this picture was taken. The third picture shows Gaara, his siblings, and many shinobi from Konoha standing outside the village wall. The sand siblings are wearing black funeral clothes while Gaara is shaking hands with Naruto.

“This picture was a sneaky one that was taken by Matsuri. No one knew she was there until she handed me this picture. After Shukaku was removed from me, it killed me. Chiyo, an elder from Suna with the help of Naruto, brought me back to life. It came with a price; Chiyo had to sacrifice her life. After we buried her, the leaf shinobi left. I was saying farewell with that handshake.”

The first picture on the next page showed the sand siblings heading out. Temari and Gaara are wearing a white scarf. While Temari has a small fan open and fanning herself. Another picture was taken by Masturi. This time they knew she took the picture when it was taken.

“We were on our way to the Kage Summit in the Land of Iron. My first one. This happened before the war. My siblings were my bodyguards.”

“Uncle Gaara, you don’t need any bodyguards. You’re very strong and can take on anyone,” Shikadia cheered.

Gaara’s smile widens as he gives out a small chuckle. Shikadia always looked up to his Uncles. He’s at that age when he thinks his whole family is invisible. Sand shield makes Shikadia think no one can touch his Uncle Gaara. If only he knew about the times the shield had failed or was used against him.

The second picture showed them returning from the Kage Summit. The third picture has the siblings together in Gaara’s office. This picture brought a look of sadness to Gaara’s face.

“It was the day before the fourth shinobi war. Temari wanted the three of us to take a picture together, just in case. Fortunately, the three of us made it back alive,” Gaara sadness fades away when he remembers how happy he was to see his siblings were alive.

The theme seems to be three pictures per page. First shows Gaara shaking hands with Naruto again. It seems Naruto only has one arm. Gaara explained to Shikadia how Naruto and Sasuke both lost an arm, but only Naruto got a replacement. The second shows everyone together at Naruto’s wedding. If you look closely, you can see Temari and Shikamaru holding hands. The last one shows Temari standing next to Gaara wearing a dark blue three-piece suit and a sour expression on his face.

Gaara used to wonder if they picked another girl instead of Hakuto, would he be married right now. Those thoughts left about a month after the wedding meeting. He knows she is happy with the one she loves, and that makes him happy for her.

This is the last page, and it only has two pictures on it. One is at Temari and Shikamaru’s wedding. The last one brings joy to Gaara’s heart. Gaara is holding baby Shikadai for the first time. A few hours after Temari gave birth, she was very tired, and when Gaara came to check on her, his sister handed him her baby then fell asleep. Gaara took a seat in the chair next to Temari, still holding his nephew.

“That’s me,” Shikadia cheers while pointing at himself in the picture.

“This is the first time I held you. It was a couple of hours after you were born,” Gaara smiles as he closes the photo album.

“Mom says it’s for you, Uncle Gaara.”

Gaara looks down at the photo album; he will like to look back on these from time to time. Right now, he will put it in a special place. He will show this to Kankuro sometime later.

#Gaaraweek2021 #Gaaraweek #Sabaku No Gaara #Shikadia

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ginjaanimeloversstuff · 4 years

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kyogre-blue · 4 years

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Suna filler characters

I kind of like the Suna fillers as a whole and they introduce some useful side characters to fill out fics, if necessary. They’re hard to keep track of though!

Matsuri’s team:

Matsuri: Originally an Academy student in part 1, she was mentored by Gaara in the use of a rope dart, the weapon she chose. Initially, she was terrified of bladed weapons due to witnessing her parents being killed. A genin during the new chuunin exams. A chuunin during Gaara’s kidnapping. A big fan of Gaara, she reacts violently to any perceived slightly toward him.

Yukata: Matsuri’s teammate. An airhead, long dark hair. She is also a Gaara fan.

Mikoshi: Matsuri’s other teammate. Glasses man.

Shira’s team:

Shira: Like Lee, he is unable to use ninjutsu or genjutsu. Because of this, he was banned from even attending Academy under Rasa. However, he continued physical training on his own, until he ended up accidentally destroying a boulder that helped prevent erosion along the border of the village. After testing him, Gaara changed the village policies to allow him to become a genin. They also became training partners, to improve Gaara’s taijutsu. He is extremely loyal to Gaara and also philosophical and forgiving, even toward those that wrong him. His parents live near the northern border.

Sen and Yome: Shira’s genin teammates and also his childhood friends. Unlike other children, they didn’t bully him for being unable to use gen/ninjutsu. They also played with Temari as kids. Sen is very cautious and specializes in genjutsu. She uses fans with fur decoration along the edge. Yome’s specialty is her extreme eyesight. She can see great distances through the reflection in water droplets as well as minute details up close. Shira helped teach her how to use her abilities in close combat. Yomi apparently has a thing for Shira.

Ameno’s team:

Ameno: A medic nin. She acts rather calculating, but she has strong morals about injuring and heals everyone her team attacks afterwards. She uses “medical suiton” techniques that form animals or parts of animals out of water but with various properties of medical jutsu.

Koji and Shishio: Her teammates. Koji can form weapons around his fists out of sand. Shishio can polarize sand to use for tracking and camouflage.

Saya’s team:

Saya: Giant twintails. Uses a doll through puppet strings, but her actual specialty is Puppet Imitation jutsu, which is similar to the Yamanaka Mind Transfer but requires hair as a medium. She usually has a human size puppet pose as her real body while she shapeshifts into the small doll the puppet carries. She can also create “sand puppets.”

Sana and Mamushi: Her teammates.The dude can do the hidden snake hand technique. The girl calls Saya “nee-sama.” She can control sand to some extent.

The villains:

Houichi: The biwa priest. He studied Bunpuku’s teachings and can draw out bijuu from hosts by... closing tenketsu and agitating the bijuu chakra to the surface? Something like that.

Fugi: An “old soldier” from Suna. Has pointy ears and a Chinese outfit. He wanted to extract Shukaku from Gaara (and seal in a teapot). Committed seppuku after Gaara explained his reasoning for changing and becoming Kazekage.

Various bullies:

Sajin, Mujin, Mijin: Sajin is the stripe face that tries to interfere with Neji’s plan for the 1st exam. He can use a jutsu to create sand writing. Mijin is the one that was chosen to be used as decoy.

Goji’s team: I didn’t note the names of the others, but these are the ones who resent Shira for getting attention for the Kazekage. Goji is the one that can create a sandstorm that generates electromagnetic discharge leading to a genjutsu. There is also a second team led by a very feminine archer with purple hair.

That one girl with the ponytail that was mean to Gaara also bullied Shira lol.

The council:

There are 11 seats (+Kazekage) shown in the anime.

Baki: Obviously, but he’s generally on the council.

Ebizo: Chiyo’s brother. He didn’t attend the council meetings in the anime, but in the novel, he is the head of the council.

Ikanago and Tojuro: These two are novel only, so I only read about them on the wiki. Toujuurou is the evil one who wants to take over as head of the council once Ebizo retires.

Yura: This is the guy with one eye covered by hair. Sasori’s sleeper agent. During the new exam, he pretended to support Gaara’s decision, but subtly incited others to try and assassinate him.

Goza, Joseki, Ryusa, Sajo: The extra dudes. Goza has a full mustache and beard, and focuses on the dignity of the village. Joseki dislikes Gaara. Ryusa has thick eyebrows and didn’t want to elect a new Kage when Gaara was abducted. Sajo has squinty eyes. Apparnetly, their names come from the 3rd databook.

I need to rewatch that one filler about the puppeteer Gaara makes friends with and the 4th war stuff with Maki and Pakura too...

#watching naruto #story ideas Naruto

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artlessictoan · 6 years

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Day 5 - Family

you’d think that just rehashing the exact same format that I used for the family theme of temari week last year would’ve meant I got this out on time, but no. well… at least it’s p long?

I guess this is just a thing now.. if kank week rolls around and ‘family’ isn’t a theme I’m kinda screwed

hope you enjoy!

AO3 version

---

Age three and he first knows that he is different, though he’s not sure how.

Adults talk above him, quiet and distant and utterly incomprehensible, but their stares weigh heavy on him, pulled down by the indistinct whispers that always lingered just behind him, no matter how far he turned. He tugs on his keeper’s apron, holds himself up against stiff legs, but will not lift his head to look at him, nor will the man look down.

Family is just a word; he’s told it’s what Yashamaru and father are, though he doesn’t understand why other adults are not, or why it’s so important he remember it.

---

Age five and the feeling is growing worse every day.

He knows why everyone stares, knows why they whisper behind cupped hands, knows why they run. Father tells him that it is because he is valuable, he will become the salvation of the village, he does not need to interact with anyone but him and his uncle, stop causing trouble, just stay inside and behave. Yashamaru tries to hide himself from the truth, ignores him when he insists that Shukaku is being mean to him again, just pats the air just above his head – always the air, never his thick and unruly locks – and asks if he wouldn’t rather play with his toys.

Family is expectation and purpose, it is the long lectures on the state of the world and what he will do to change it; it is the siblings he’s heard about, but rarely sees, little more than ghosts at the edges of his mind; it is not-quite-meeting eyes and unfathomable sighs hidden beneath tight smiles.

---

Age six and blood runs thickly into his eye.

The truth has finally released him; he is not loved and he never had been, nothing will change it… but he no longer wants to.

Family is hate and fear and pain, it is the assassin in the night and the rage of a mother carrying out her final, terrible vengeance.

If no one else would love him, then he will just do it himself.

---

Age eight and he hardly notices anything anymore.

A knife cuts the air with barely a hiss, but the woman’s scream sings in the night. Sand crawls across his spoon before it can even reach his mouth, the way the poison splits the skin of its practitioner fascinates him for hours. Through his shield, he can feel the heat of the fire jutsu, it isn’t hot enough. Shadows move too quickly in the periphery of his vision, he drags the assailant out of them and watches the light die in his eyes. The girl had no weapon on her corpse, nor poison or scrolls, the blood spattered on his face dries quickly in the blazing sun.

Family is the rush of his heart as another body falls around him, it is the warmth and love that flows through him like blood flows from a split stomach, it is sand that wraps just slightly too-tight tendrils around his ankles when his demon needs to remind him what it wants.

---

Age twelve and his siblings immediately tense when he enters the room.

Baki’s explanation doesn’t interest him, nor does the prospect of doing anything that would benefit the village whose existence he only tolerates because its fear is on occasion mildly amusing. But the opportunity to leave this dead and empty place, go further into the world than he ever had before and tear away its foundations, announce his existence to it before the whole thing crumbled at his feet… that prospect is all-too enticing, even after father drags him aside one night and tells him that this mission will decide his fate, that if he doesn’t play along like a good child, then he will not be returning.

Family is more trouble than it’s worth. He agrees to the terms, not because of the threat – father doesn’t have the guts, doesn’t have the strength; why else would he leave the insulting attempts on his life to others? – but because of Mother’s whispers of all the games they could play in Konoha, he’d take her there wouldn’t he? Such a good boy.

---

Age thirteen and he is trying so very hard to be human.

His words and actions are clumsy, mimicking what he sees in others, without understanding any of it. Kankuro can’t relax near him, Temari’s words are carefully considered and placed, he watches them through his third eye one night, nursing warm drinks as they speak of a book Temari is reading, of Kankuro’s latest project, pushing and shoving and falling to the floor in breathless laughter and he wonders; is that what it means to a sibling? To be human?

Family is spying and learning and feeling a tight, burning sensation in his dry eyes as Kankuro’s hand brushes his shoulder, even as he brushes it away before the gentle touch can break him. It is the confusion when Temari offers him a novel, her tight-lipped smile as she says she thinks that he would enjoy it.

---

Age fifteen and the stiffness still lingers in his fingers and toes.

He has not been left alone for over a month now – not truly alone, even if they keep their presences hidden, he is aware of the eyes always nearby – shinobi wander into his office without an appointment almost eight times a day, Baki insists upon walking with him to and from council meetings and Matsuri has taken to leaving snacks and fresh cups of tea in his most-frequented rooms, with short notes written in bright ink reminding him of the medics’ advice to stay nourished, He doesn’t want to resent the attention, he’d spent half his life begging to experience it, but the acts fuel his old, comfortable paranoias and the effort to restrain his worst impulses at every friendly greeting exhausts him more than even death had.

Family is the respect and devotion of a community and realising that protection goes both ways. He still asks his siblings to help stem the tide; they agree, but with every delicate chiding by his sister, every sincere inquiry into his health by his brother, the guilt remains.

---

Age twenty and he finally has time to stop and think.

The war had long been over and peace returned, there is still much work to be done, many bridges to be built, many agreements to be made. Even so, he also finds himself for the first time with friendships both intense and casual, and he actually has the free time to pursue them, he talks with Naruto every chance they get, Sakura sends him letters updating him on Konoha’s progress, Shikamaru regularly challenges him to games of shogi, Matsuri gushes to him about her new girlfriend, old lady Ohno makes him promise to keep her funeral small and humble, Baki cries whenever he reaches a new milestone in his career.

Family is learning that grand displays and solemn promises aren’t all that’s needed in a strong relationship, it’s also small gestures and simple understanding.

---

Age twenty-six and, for the first time since his turn, impulse takes him.

The three children look around his home with suspicious eyes, they move with the same care and uncertainty that he once had, as though terrified that a single step out of place will have them thrown back onto the streets. He doesn’t know how to reassure them, but he remembers what his siblings did for him when they first started living together – a pantry always stocked with favoured meals, a space entirely yours to retreat to when the paranoia proved too much, unspoken invitations to join in family activities only when ready – he’s not sure that he is doing it right, but when Araya first calls him ‘dad’ he smiles for what feels like hours.

Family is terror and panic and constant uncertainty, but it is also pride and caring and joy and an indescribable love filling the soul until it was lighter than air.

---

Age fifty-two and Baki’s death destabilises him more than he could have ever imagined.

He and his siblings trudge through the funeral preparations on memory alone, none of them quite present in the room, even as they perform the expected motions and speak of all that their sensei had done for them. Once his children retreat to their old bedroom – still with red eyes for the man they’d called ‘grandpa’ even now that they were all adults, already off starting families of their own – he, Kankuro and Temari huddle together under a blanket, under the stars. They talk of memories, of fathers, both unofficial and blood, of mothers and uncles and the pain of losing each and every one.

Family is looking back and looking forwards at the same time, sharing the loss of loved ones to make the pain just a little more bearable and hoping that when you go, those who live on won’t ever feel such grief for one so undeserving.

---

Age Seventy-nine and there is still so much left to learn.

Life continues, the world running around him, even after he has decided that he no longer has a place in driving it.

Family is something he’s sought his entire life, knowingly or not, but he’s sure he’s found it now; in the friendship of those who found a way to believe in a boy’s humanity when he himself could not, in the respect of a community that had willingly taken him into its arms, despite every hurt he’d brought it, in the smiles and adoration of three children he’d saved from mistakes of the past, in the sensei who had filled a void he’d not even known was there, in the siblings who had pulled him into a bond stronger than any force of nature, in the faint memories of sandy hair and the bitter taste of iron, in the embrace of sand that had never once left him, not even in his darkest moments.

Despite everything, it was more than worth it.

---

#ictoan writes #gaarabday #gaara #temari #kankuro #sand siblings #naruto #also mentions of several other characters #sorry it's late but hopefully it's worth it!#oh uh..#violence tw #i mean it's baby gaara so of course but just in case

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jouissezduprintemps · 7 years

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Something to Gain, Chapter Five: Rumours

Rating: T Words: 3556 Fandom: Naruto Summary: Sequel to Something to Prove. Shikamaru and Temari navigate their relationship now that it’s in the public eye.

Something to Prove First Previous Next

Kankuro sighed dramatically as he examined a colorfully dyed blanket, which he held, folded, in his hands. The vendor let him take his time; the blanket he was holding was worth a good deal, and if the customer was willing to spend that much, they could take all day. When his sigh didn’t have the desired effect, he glanced at the next stall out of the corner of his eye to judge whether or not his targets were within hearing distance.

He handed the blanket back to the vendor as he asked “Do you have anything softer, for an infant? Money’s no object.”

Just as he expected, Matsuri’s head snapped away from the dango vendor when she heard him speak. Yukata protested when her friend elbowed her in the ribs, but Matsuri gestured toward Kankuro. If they were trying to be subtle, they were failing miserably.

The vendor rummaged through an old trunk, not looking up as he asked, “Boy or girl?”

“It’s too soon to tell,” Kankuro lied, aware that his targets were inching closer.

With a noise of deep thought, the vendor closed the trunk and opened another, his fingers testing the edges of the folded pieces of cloth. He withdrew a rich green blanket, just large enough for a child. “Will this do?” he asked, unfolding the cloth and holding it out for Kankuro to touch.

Kankuro brushed his fingers over the fabric, suddenly envious that it wasn’t big enough for a grown man. Too late, he realized he was far too committed to his skit to back out now. He turned over the price tag and held back a painful whine. Gaara would be paying him back from the Suna mission fund for this. “It’s perfect.”

Money changed hands, and the vendor carefully wrapped the blanket in parchment to keep it protected from the sand and sun. “I assume this will be a gift, Lord Kankuro?”

“Oh, yeah.” Kankuro chuckled. “I plan on sticking to being an uncle for a while, first. All the perks, and then you give them back!” To his surprise, he realized he was speaking the truth. All in all, it seemed like a good plan. If things changed in his future, so be it, but he’d be perfectly happy doting on his siblings’ children.

“Uncle? So, the child is of your bloodline?” The vendor didn’t hide his surprise.

Kankuro shushed the man, dramatically waving him closer. In a stage whisper, he admitted, “I’m not supposed to say anything just yet, but I have to tell someone. Temari just found out she’s pregnant.”

The vendor’s eyes lit up at this. Between the three of them, Temari was the favorite of a good portion of the village. She was Rasa’s oldest, and she wasn’t a jinchuuriki; she also didn’t fight with ‘creepy’ puppets. By all appearances, she could be seen as the most ‘normal.’ “Please, give this to my lady with my congratulations,” he insisted, packaging a larger version of the blanket Kankuro had purchased.

“That’s not necessary-” Kankuro began.

“I insist! We might be talking about our next kazekage.” The vendor placed the packages in Kankuro’s arms. “Please tell Lady Temari that she can come by for anything she needs.”

“I will. Thanks!” Kankuro turned on his heel, coming face-to-face with Matsuri’s beaming smile. He fumbled with the parchment-wrapped blankets as he staggered back a step, placing a comfortable distance between them.

“What’cha got there?” Yukata inquired, leaning around her best friend to get a better look at the packages.

“A present,” Kankuro deflected, subtly drawing them further in.

“For who?” Matsuri chorused in the same tone as Yukata, although the look in her eyes told him she knew the answer.

“Temari.”

“How come?” Yukata bounced back, annoyingly drawing his attention from one chunin to the other.

“Her birthday,” Kankuro lied terribly.

“That’s in August. It’s November,” Matsuri pointed out.

“Her late birthday.” Kankuro looked between the two of them, who were eager to break him down. Just a few more pressure points left to make this convincing.

“Really? Because we heard you say you’re going to be an uncle,” Yukata smirked at Matsuri.

When Kankuro didn’t respond, Matsuri leaned forward, balancing on the balls of her feet. “There’s something you’re not telling us, isn’t there, Lord Kankuro?”

Kankuro feigned tormented indecision before blurting out “Temari’s pregnant.” He even clapped his hand over his mouth for good measure.

The joyful shriek that emanated from the two women was piercing enough to earn several loud barks from a stray dog in the nearby alley. Kankuro made a show of waving his arms and telling them to be quiet. “It’s too soon for everyone to know, so keep this to yourselves, okay?”

“You can count on us!” Matsuri assured him.

It was harder to keep watch on Shikamaru and Temari than Ino originally thought. Not only were the Suna streets busier than Konoha, she also had to make sure they were keeping up the ruse. It wasn’t Shikamaru’s fault that he wasn’t a medical nin, but, really, some things should just be common sense. She had turned her back just long enough to order tea from an outdoor café for Shikamaru to light a cigarette. She caught the scent of tobacco and whipped around, snatching the cigarette out of Shikamaru’s hand. Her shoe ground it into the sand as she extinguished it.

Shikamaru looked up at Ino in disdain. “The hell?” he demanded.

“You can’t smoke around someone who’s pregnant,” Ino snapped, taking the pack from the table for good measure. She passed it over her shoulder to Choji, who had more than enough pockets to hold it. “Get some gum or something.”

“Just give me the tea,” Shikamaru grumbled.

“If I have to suffer, so do you,” Temari regulated, and the look in her eyes showed she was serious. Shikamaru bristled but backed down, resigning himself to his, thankfully temporary, fate.

Choji sat beside his best friend, trying not to laugh at his misfortune. He passed Shikamaru one of the cups, as Ino handed Temari her own.

“Lady Temari!”

That was faster than she thought. Temari turned around on the bench to see Yukata and Matsuri running toward her, weaving through the crowded street. Choji stood, maintaining his act of body guard, but the Suna chunin were undeterred. Yukata squeezed herself on the outside of the bench, to Temari’s right, and Matsuri forced herself between Temari and Ino.

“Is it true?” Yukata demanded with shining eyes.

“Are you pregnant?” Matsuri didn’t give Temari a chance to answer Yukata.

“Can I touch your stomach?” Yukata’s hand extended without waiting for a response.

Temari caught Yukata’s wrist and leveled her with a cold glare. “Don’t.”

Yukata wilted, but she remained adamant. “Well?” she pressed.

“Don’t overwhelm her,” Shikamaru warned in an attempt to save Temari from the barrage. He quickly realized that this was a mistake when the women turned in their seats to face him.

“Oh my god,” Matsuri gasped in joy. “The brainiac’s the dad!”

Ino stifled a laugh into her fist, looking to her left.

“Excuse me?” Shikamaru snapped.

“You are, aren’t you?” Yukata placed her hands on the table and stood, leaning forward.

“Matsuri, Yukata,” Temari snapped, instantly reigning them in. “Sit down.” Once they did as they were told, she followed the carefully-laid plan. “Who told you?”

Matsuri practically vibrated with excitement. “Lord Kankuro told us!”

“So it’s true?” Yukata asked.

“Damn it,” Temari swore, rubbing her forehead. “Yes, but I only just-”

“With the Leaf ninja?!” Matsuri interrupted.

Temari took a deep breath, trying not to lose her patience. “Yes,” she lied, reminding herself that the ordeal was necessary.

Matsuri threw her arms around Temari’s neck, drawing her down for an unwanted embrace. “Lady Temari!!!” she screeched in joy.

“Matsuri,” she warned.

“Oh, we’re gonna throw you the best baby shower ever! What do you need? Who do you want to invite? You know what, don’t worry about it! We’ll take care of everything!” Matsuri rattled.

Temari forcefully removed herself from her junior. “You do realize that won’t be for months.” Thank god, it won’t happen at all.

“Who do you think it’ll look like?” Yukata asked Matsuri, all but forgetting the group they’d disturbed.

“What if it has Lord Kazekage’s hair?” Matsuri gasped.

“Or Lady Karura’s purple eyes?” Yukata beamed at the thought.

“Do you think it’ll inherit Lord Rasa’s gold dust technique?”

Much to Temari’s relief, the kunoichi skipped off down the street, lost in their hypotheticals, clearly lacking any concept of genetics. “I need a drink.”

Ino pat her hand sympathetically.

“So, what, it wouldn’t look like me, at all?” Shikamaru grumbled in annoyance.

“You’re taking this way too seriously,” Ino reminded him. “Besides, your family is all black hair and eyes. It’s beyond me, but, somehow, Temari’s family hit the jackpot on genetic diversity. You can’t blame them for speculating.” She paused for a moment before looking at Temari. “But, really, you’re sure you’re all from the same parents?”

Temari shrugged her shoulders. “Trust me, I’ve tried to figure it out. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s just a lot of recessive genes. Somehow, I ended up with an O blood type and blonde hair. It’s easier not to think about it.”

In a single afternoon, most of Suna had heard the ‘news’ of Temari’s alleged pregnancy. As Gaara and Ino had expected, it was an incredibly divisive topic of conversation. Those of the kazekage’s generation showed a surprising level of support, alleging that the alliance between the two villages would be stronger than ever. Over the last several years, the villagers of the Sand had become accustomed to Shikamaru’s intermittent presence involving the chunin exams. For the most part, no one had anything bad to say about his character, and there were a few whispers wondering how he put up with Temari’s fiery temper and stubborn attitude.

However, those shinobi who had known Rasa’s rule stirred uncertainties and rebellious opinions. The chief complaint was that the kazekage bloodline, should this infant become kage, would be tainted with Konoha blood. It was unacceptable that such a candidate would not be fully-blooded from Suna, but the long-established monarch-esque rule of the first kazekage’s, Reto’s, clan could not be easily stripped away. These fears were exacerbated when many realized that Gaara had died once already. If Lady Chiyo hadn’t performed a literal miracle to bring him back, the position would have fallen to Temari or Kankuro by birthright.

The third, fourth, and fifth kazekage had all been murdered by enemies of the village. Clearly, they were not in a stable political era. Kankuro didn’t seem to have any desire to take on the position, and he could never be forced into doing something he didn’t want to do. The question then arose: could Temari perform the duties of a loyal kazekage if her lover and child had ties to another village?

“This is completely unacceptable!” Tojuro slammed his hands down onto the circular council table, lifting himself out of his chair and to his feet. Dark eyes blazing, he stared at each of his eleven colleagues in turn. “We cannot allow the girl’s indiscretion to jeopardize our nation!”

“What would you have us do, Tojuro?” To his left, Yura fixed his gaze on the stone face of the fourth kazekage’s statue. What would Rasa have them do?

“She needs to be publicly denounced, and her branch removed from candidacy for kazekage.” Tojuro’s hands formed into fists. “We cannot allow Konohagakure to gain control over our village!”

“You’re being extreme,” Baki snapped, narrowing his eyes at Tojuro’s outburst.

“Baki, you’re far too close to the situation,” Yura protested. His fellow council member was a valued part of their system, but this was personal for him. “You can’t think politically when it comes to these children.”

“I am a member of this council, and I will have my say,” Baki snarled as he dared his fellow seniors to defy him. “You’re refusing to look at alternatives. It’s possible that the Nara boy will change his allegiance to our village. Lady Temari might even raise the child without his interference. I refuse to let this council pass judgement until it fully understands the situation.”

“We know that Lady Temari is like a daughter to you,” Joseki spoke up from across the table. “I’m sure this is just as much a surprise for you as it is the rest of us.” He frowned in thought. “We won’t get anywhere as long as the discussion remains this heated. What does the council say to adjourning for the evening? We will reconvene in two days, when Lord Kazekage, Lord Kankuro, and Lady Temari are present. Even the Konoha boy can be present, if he wishes. I believe that Lady Temari deserves a chance to make her decision before we rule on the matter.”

The nine present council members murmured among themselves before coming to a consensus. Joseki nodded, declaring, “Then we will meet in two days, at the usual hour.”

Tojuro stormed from the council room, caring nothing for decorum. Baki watched him go with hatred in his eyes. He walked around the table to Joseki, who was gathering his papers into a stack before putting them inside a folder. “Thank you for stepping in,” he said, extending his hand to the fellow councilman.

Joseki looked up at Baki and shook his head, waving his hand away. “Don’t thank me, Baki. I didn’t do this for your sake. You may be my friend, but this council must put the village above all else. Some of us forget that Rasa’s children sit on the council with us. I have more faith in them than the others, sure, but they must know that their actions affect all of Suna.” He frowned, his eyebrows creasing. “They don’t get the luxury of making mistakes.” He tucked his folder under his arm and turned his back on Baki. “Talk to Lady Temari. I bought her a few days, but I can’t sway the council for her. It won’t be easy, but she might make it.”

Baki sat back down at the table, and he could feel Rasa’s stone eyes pinning him down. He was hurt that he wasn’t told before the rumors spread, and he was disappointed. He’d done his best to raise Rasa’s children after his death, but, in the end, there was only so much he could do as a sensei. They were not his own, even after all this time. In a moment of weakness, he sighed languidly and rested his head in his hands, murmuring to himself, “What have you gotten yourself into, my little sandstorm?”

Gaara hefted his sand gourd off his back, rolling his shoulder once he was free of his burden. There was a permanent knot of muscle in his neck from carrying several times his body weight. He really should sit down and think of a better transportation method before he caused himself spinal damage. The kazekage shook his head before kicking off his sandals and entering his home, which was, to his pleasure, empty. It wasn’t often that he enjoyed peace and quiet like this, and he allowed himself to indulge in it as long as he possibly could.

He walked into his living room and stretched out on the couch, looking up at the irregular sandstone pattern of the ceiling. About this time, Kankuro and Temari should have spread the rumor wide enough that they might catch their enemy in their net. He hoped so. The fact that he was unable to trust his council was hard enough; that Baki was on that list was almost excruciating.

He closed his eyes as he thought, turning over every lead he could think of. That anyone would want to ruin the alliance between Suna and Konoha was beyond his understanding. There had been three wars for peace between the five great nations; who would want to encourage more bloodshed?

Gaara stopped short of berating himself for not noticing the leak sooner. In the back of his mind, a familiar voice mocked him: You think they trust you? Ha! Stupid brat. They’re going to kill you. They hate you.

He sat up straight and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to will away the traumatic memories Shukaku left behind. The door opened, and he let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Come on, Ino,” Shikamaru’s voice groaned. “Give me back my cigarettes. She’s not really pregnant, you know. We don’t have to act here.”

“Maybe not, but you’re really going to get cancer,” Ino spoke from the foyer.

“Guys,” Temari’s voice steadily approached down the hall. “I love you, but I swear to god, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna lose it. Just let me have my quiet, okay?”

“Is everything alright?” Gaara asked his sister, startling her when she entered the living room.

“Shit, Gaara! Don’t do that!” Temari’s hand was over her heart. She shook her head. “It took us two hours to get here from the main street. I’ve talked to enough people to last a month. I just want to sit down, have some sake and a cigarette, and enjoy a bit of peace.”

Ino snorted in amusement. Whether Shikamaru was rubbing off on Temari or vice versa, she didn’t know, but they were certainly a pair.

“Temari? What am I supposed to do with this stuff?” Choji asked, standing in the doorway. His arms were laden with bags.

“I don’t know,” she admitted as she fell into a chair. “We’ll deal with it later. If I have to hear anything else about a baby, I think I’ll scream.”

Shikamaru helped his best friend set the bags out of the way, poking through one as he did so. “You know, a lot of people are going to be really disappointed when they find out you’re not actually pregnant.”

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” Temari reminded him. “We’ll just… I don’t know, give it away. Someone we know’s gotta get pregnant sooner or later, right?”

“It seems you were believable,” Gaara commented, pleased with the quick results of the rumor.

“A little too much…” she grumbled.

The front door opened and shut before Kankuro’s voice called down the hallway. “Yo, Tema! Little help here?”

“I’ve got it,” Ino informed him as she took some of his burden. “We’ve got a pile,” she added dryly, leading the middle sibling to the living room.

“Oh, my god,” Temari sighed in annoyance.

“Yeah. Tell me about it.” Kankuro unceremoniously added several more bags and boxes to the mayhem. “It’s like baby Chirstmas. You know, I never would have pegged you for the village favorite.”

Temari showed her brother her middle finger. She caught the parchment-wrapped package he threw at her in retaliation, feeling it give way beneath her palms.

“Yeah, Gaara,” Kankuro turned to his brother, reminded of his complaint. “You’re going to pay me back for that damned baby blanket. You know, I’m pretty sure I could go buy a back-alley baby for less than that cost.”

“Kankuro!” Temari snapped.

“Well, I could!”

“I’ll get your money back,” Gaara assured his brother with a rare roll of his eyes.

“Why are there two?” Temari asked as she pulled the string tying the packages together.

“The vendor gave you one as a gift. Enjoy it, because it’s the nicest fucking blanket I’ve ever seen.” His voice conveyed his jealousy.

Temari sat the packages down on the floor beside her chair. “Hopefully, we won’t have to deal with this much longer.”

Three sharp knocks pounded on the front door. Choji stood up to answer it, but Kankuro waved him back. With a bit of apprehension, the puppet user turned the knob and opened the door, surprised to see his sensei on the other side. “Baki-sensei-”

Wordlessly, Baki pushed past his student and stormed into the house, not bothering to take off his shoes. He ignored everyone else in the living room as he walked straight to Temari, who had jumped to her feet.

“Sensei-” she began.

Baki raised his hand and struck her across the face, bringing a deathly silence to the house. Behind him, Shikamaru tried to storm over, but Choji held him back. Temari squared her shoulders and took a single breath before turning her head, looking up to meet Baki’s gaze. What she saw surprised her. Where she’d expected anger, she saw pain and disappointment. Her stomach fell, and, for the first time in her life, she had to look away. She wanted to tell him it was a lie. She needed him to know she wouldn’t keep something like this from him, that she wouldn’t be this reckless. Yet she couldn’t.

When Baki’s arms wrapped around her, her instinct was to fight, but she quickly realized that she wasn’t in danger. Baki held her to his chest, his hold protective. He’d never shown such outward affection for any of his students. It was foreign, but Temari let herself relax. Where she was, she could hear his irregular heartbeat. A wave of guilt washed over her, evident in her face when Baki pulled away. In a moment of weakness, tears fell from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

#shikatema #naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto fanfiction #fanfiction #shikamaru nara #temari of the sand #gaara of the sand #kankuro of the desert #ino yamanaka #choji akimichi

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kuriquinn · 7 years

Text

Once and Future [6/7]

Title: Second Chances

Disclaimer & Masterpost

AN: I finished all of my grading a day early! Enjoy an update to celebrate with me! It’s another belated update for the NarutoWeek2017 event, but I’m almost done so I don’t even mind ^_^

Gaara sighs and leans back in his chair, rubbing at his eyes.

These days the dark circles aren’t because of any demon haunting his dreams, but the never-ending stream of paperwork that comes with being the Kazekage.

Despite being an organized individual with a fairly developed work-ethic, Gaara has learned within the past few years that being a Kage is a difficult job. Running a village, even as simple a one as Suna, is a lot like being a juggler – only one can’t help dropping a ball every now and then.

The measure of a decent leader is knowing which one I can afford to drop.

Matsuri tells him he’s doing a good job – that the people of the village are happy – but sometimes Gaara thinks she tells him what he wants to hear. He’s mentioned this to his brother and sister once or twice, but their responses aren’t helpful. Kankuro brushes it off with jokes – most of which go over his head – while Temari will glower and grumble.

I suppose there’s always the option of asking Matsuri about it myself, but…

The hair on the back of his neck suddenly stands on end. Sand begins to gather around him, his sand shield at the ready.

“It’s rude to lurk in the shadows,” he says flatly, his weary and relaxed demeanour evaporating into the dry air. “Especially when you haven’t been invited here.”

“Heh…how the times have changed,” a sly, breathy voice chuckle from the shadows. “Now you have an actual awareness of etiquette. So much has change since our first meeting, I think.”

The man that appears out of the shadows is familiar enough to Gaara’s eyes, and hated at that.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here, Orochimaru,” he says quietly. “I should kill you.”

“Oh, little Kazekage, let us pretend that you could,” the Sannin says in a patronizing tone, sauntering forward and taking the empty seat on the other side of Gaara’s desk. He crosses one leg over the other, yellow eyes gleaming as if to say what exactly do you plan on doing?

Gaara clenches his fists, studying the older man with utter dislike. His first instinct is to suffocate him with a cloud of sand, but he retrains himself.

Orochimaru was integral to winning the war, after all. If it weren’t for his scheming and meddling and utter inability to die, Sasuke Uchiha might not have returned when he was needed – might not have lived. He and Naruto would not have saved the world.

But it doesn’t change certain facts, including that this creature killed Gaara’s father.

Or that he once wore the cloak of the Akatsuki, an organization that would have succeeded in killing Gaara if not for the noble actions of Grandmother Chiyo and Sakura Haruno.

It would still be perfectly understandable to kill him, though…

But on the heels of that thought, Gaara considers Naruto and his way of compassion. His friend has always forgiven others, even those who have taken everything from him – even this snake of a man. He has always seen the good in people, and has now become a symbol of that faith to his people.

Naruto would be disappointed to hear that Gaara was unable to embrace it, and so the young Kazekage reigns in his more vengeful impulses.

“What is it you want?” he asks finally.

“Ah, straight to the point. Very like your father.”

Gaara growls, “You don’t get to mention him. Say what you want and then leave before I think better of it.”

Orochimaru’s wide lips curve upward.

“Very well…” He tosses his hair imperiously. “You are aware I was once an associate of one of your people. Sasori.”

“He was not one of our people for many years.”

“Semantics, my boy. I happen to know of a cache he maintained here in Suna. A workshop of sorts, which you and your subordinates haven’t found yet.”

Gaara is careful to keep his face neutral. Although it doesn’t surprise him, given the legendary puppet-master’s secrecy, the news is troubling. “And your reason for sharing this information with me?”

“To gain access, of course,” Orochimaru purrs.

“You expect me to believe someone of your talents couldn’t enter this so-called cache on your own, without my knowledge?”

“Well, I admit it’s entirely possible, but as it is deep beneath the Kazekage residence –” This time Gaara’s eyes widen, “– I thought it might be politer to speak to you first. Given the current peaceful state of the world, and how close Konoha is to Suna these days, I wouldn’t want to accidentally start an international incident, yes?”

“You aren’t affiliated with Konoha,” Gaara bites out. “And no one in the Hidden Leaf would weep if we executed you.”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Orochimaru waves a chiding finger. “Were that truly the case, would they have their little dog following me around?”

He inclines his head to the large windows of the office. Gaara barely allows himself a quick glance, not wanting to take his eye off the man before him, but he catches the flicker of movement in the distance. Someone watching from a nearby building.

Naruto mentioned that his former interim captain had been tasked with watching Orochimaru’s movements and reporting them – it looks as if that job involves traversing borders as well.

“That still doesn’t mean he would intervene if I decided your survival wasn’t worth the risk,” Gaara informs him calmly. “As I hear it, he suffered worse than I did from your ways.”

“If you’re so eager to test the theory, by all means,” Orochimaru suggests, and from his tone Gaara suspects he would actually enjoy such an exercise.

That more than anything else stays his hand – he won’t give the snake the satisfaction.

“What exactly is in this workshop that you want?” he asks instead, knowing that it won’t be something as innocent as curiosity or sentimental as nostalgia.

“My former partner studied the human condition and observed their behaviour obsessively,” the Sannin replies. “He considered it integral to his creation process. After all, he did want them to last…” He smiles grotesquely here. “Sasori kept meticulous notes, when I knew him. And he had a particularly detached manner to transcribing his discoveries that I admire. Such a thing is rare and valuable in a scientist.”

Gaara folds his arms, unimpressed and still awaiting an answer.

“I want access to those notes,” Orochimaru says, now sounding businesslike and without the coy lilt in his voice. “You can have whatever else belongs to him – no doubt your puppet masters would be interested in some of his remaining inventions, especially if it could be used to modernize the village. But I want his notes.”

“So you can continue your experiments?” Gaara challenges, disgusted.

“Knowledge is knowledge,” Orochimaru replies airily. “I make no excuses or apologies for my work. In fact, I see no point in apologising for anything, although a case might be made for your father. His death was a means to an end, but I liked him. He was ambitious –”

A projectile of sand blasts across the desk, aimed for Orochimaru’s head, but he dodges it with insulting ease. There’s some movement in the shadows of his office which Gaara notices, but doesn’t address just let.

“I said,” Gaara tells him coldly, “you don’t get to mention him.”

Orochimaru mimes zipping his lips, but his expression remains unrepentant. Outside the window, the figure of Captain Yamato has inched forward, and Gaara suspects if there are any more disturbances, secrecy be damned, the man will intervene with his Mokuton.

“There’s some other purpose to your visit,” Gaara tells Orochimaru. “Some reason you came directly to me instead of slipping in undetected. You want something else and that’s what you came here for. Not some arbitrary permission.”

“I have questions,” Orochimaru hedges, “questions that need answers.”

“Questions about what?”

They stare each other down for a moment, and Gaara expects him to turn and leave. To reconsider the direct approach for something more underhanded and in his style.

He is surprised when the Sannin replies.

“Bonds.”

“…Bonds?”

“I wish to understand,” Orochimaru confirms. “They are factors I did not previously consider in my work.”

“You mean your inhuman experiments –”

“Parent and child,” the man interrupts. “Siblings. Friends, student and teacher…” Orochimaru stands now, pacing back and forth. “When young Sasuke returned to help his former comrades in the war, I felt…pride. There is no explanation for that. I was not invested, I was above it, and yet…” He trails off and once more fixes Gaara in his sight. “How does an orphan, loathed by his entire world, grow to become the sun? How does a boy cut off from his blood, as separated from others as the moon from the earth, maintain connections? Why does a child whose father tried to have him destroyed…come to forgive him?”

Gaara’s jaw clenches.

“Is an external catalyst required? A teacher, a friend – does it alter the course chosen or reinforce it? Can that quality be found within? Does a parent or a teacher determine the path, or does a child? And at what point must the mentor step away and learn from their student? In all my years, and all my studies, I can’t explain that. I never focussed on the internal quality of humans, but rather on the physical. That is a mistake on my part, one I intend to rectify. One cannot arrive at a conclusion without all of the variables, even ones which at first seem negligible.”

Orochimaru is wild-eyed now, as if something within him has abruptly untethered, and Gaara realises that it is the unknown which drives him. The man is so used to understanding everything, by taking it apart and studying it, that he has no understanding of the things which can’t be explained.

It’s something Gaara can understand, even if he left that part of himself behind a long time ago.

The brief shared sentiment with Orochimaru disturbs him, and he finds himself needing to refocus.

“Tell your subordinates to come out of the shadows,” he says. “If you are truly here in good faith, they should be visible.”

There’s a surprised intake of breath from somewhere, but Orochimaru simply smirks in acknowledgement.

As they coalesce from the shadows, Gaara sizes them up. He knows them by sight only – from the attack in the Land of Iron, as well as during the war and its aftermath. Those times were a confusing parade of faces and names, and if he did interact with them beyond that, he can’t recall.

There’s the white-haired nin from Kiri, and the giant with the haunted eyes and a woman with scarlet hair. His eyes linger on her, senses taking in the particular flare of her chakra.

“You’re Uzumaki,” he realises, and she startles at the address. “Like Naruto.”

“Uh…yeah. I mean, distantly. It’s not like I’m best friends with the guy,” she mutters, pushing her glasses up on her nose and adopting an haughty expression.

“That doesn’t matter. By a simple twist of fate, his destiny could have been yours,” Gaara dismisses. “Beyond that, you travelled with Sasuke Uchiha when he was shrouded in darkness. That makes you strong.” This makes her blink in surprise. “And so, I will ask you – do you think it possible for a man such as that to find redemption?”

“Buddy, you chose the wrong person to ask that question,” the Kiri nin snorts.

“Suigetsu,” the giant admonishes.

“No, ass-for-brains is right,” the woman says, scowling as she rests her hands on her hips. The posture is entirely defensive. “He tried to kill me. Just because I forgave him doesn’t mean anything about him, it means I’m awesome.”

“Aw, Karin, don’t try to deny that you’re still in love with him.”

“Eat shit and die!” she snarls, shaking a fist at Suigetsu.

“Children,” Orochimaru says, a smile on his face but a warning in his tone.

“Regardless of what he did, you obviously still care for him,” Gaara points out. Karin crosses her arms, but doesn’t deny it. “That suggests he can change.”

“Golden-boy Naruto obviously thinks so, or he’d be dead already,” Suigetsu points out.

“Naruto would never kill Sasuke,” Gaara says with a shake of his head. “Even if it meant spending the rest of their lives trying to redeem him, he would do it. He has that faith.” He narrows his eyes at Karin. “Do you?”

“Do I…?”

“Have faith that Sasuke Uchiha will be redeemed.”

Karin opens her mouth and closes it a few times, like she wants to reply with some witty retort or brush the question off. But Gaara holds her gaze with his own, until she swallows and looks away.

“…Yes,” she murmurs.

Gaara nods; he expected as much.

“And what of his teacher?” he continues, indicating Orochimaru.

Karin’s eyes widen and her posture immediately becomes defensive again. “I – I think it’s a completely different situation!”

“Yeah, this guy was always a freak, at least Sasuke was sort of cool –”

“Mind your tongue, Suigetsu,” Orochimaru remarks mildly.

“We all have different situations. The past does not confine us, it’s what we’re capable of doing in the future that might,” Gaara says, remembering a battle long ago and the words of his first friend ringing in his ears.

‘It’s almost unbearable, isn’t it? The feeling of being all alone. I know that feeling, I’ve been there, in that dark and lonely place.’

“And those who would help us along the way.”

‘But now there are others. Other people who mean a lot to me. I care more about them than I do myself, and I won’t let anyone hurt them! That’s why I won’t ever give up!’

“And so, I ask again – do you think Orochimaru can be redeemed? Would you trust him in the future, to avoid the mistakes and deeds he has committed in the past? Knowing and unknowing.”

Orochimaru doesn’t appear to care what his subordinates have to say – instead he stares long and hard at Gaara, as if he is witnessing exactly the sort of phenomenon he has been struggling to understand.

Karin looks away from the snake-faced man. “I think it’ll take him a hell of a lot longer than it would take Sasuke. But…maybe one day.”

“He keeps me from harming others,” Jūgo adds. “Whatever his motives, I trust him to do that.”

“And you?” Gaara addresses Suigetsu.

“Well, I trust him to never fucking die, so at least he’ll have the time to get it right,” the white-haired man mutters, but the way he avoids the others’ gazes speaks volumes.

“Your faith in me is heart-warming,” Orochimaru deadpans.

“Very well,” Gaara decides. “I will grant you what you seek.”

Everyone, including the Sannin, appears surprised by this.

“All it takes is one person to honestly believe in you – however small that belief,” he says. “Naruto showed me this. He showed us all this.” He crosses his arms. “It would, of course, be foolish to expect you to change over night, but let us consider this a first step. Perhaps on your journey, you’ll find something of more value.”

Orochimaru’s mouth twitches in amusement. “I dare say you’re right.”

“They say that Akatsuki was first founded to bring peace and to find an end to war,” Gaara continues. “I suppose it is fitting that you, the last individuals to have worn their mantle, should be granted the chance to see that peace and seek redemption.”

“But don’t screw it up, right?” Suigetsu snorts.

つづく

Phew! That was a long one! I hope I got all the characterizations right, I so rarely write about any of these guys! And hopefully foreshadows the transition from questionably-redeemable-Orochimaru from the end of the series to Papa-Orochimaru in the Boruto series!

Thank you for reading! Reviews and concrit are much appreciated - and if you’re feeling generous, I also accept tips through ko-fi (just scroll to the top and click the button!)

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